The Victoria Grizzlies made a triumphant late-game comeback versus the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Wednesday night, sending the game into overtime where Grizzly Shawn McBride scored a game-winning goal to finish off the best of seven series.
With the game the Grizzlies managed to finish off comebacks from two major deficits, the first being the series itself, which saw the Bulldogs up early three games to one, with a late series rallying by Victoria.
The second was in the game itself, with the Grizzlies heading into the third period gone four goals to one.
Jaden Schmeisser got the ball rolling in the third period, with assists from Myles Fitzgerald and Gerry Fitzgerald. The third Fitzgerald brother, Leo, scored a smooth wrister at 18:18 on the power play, before Schmeisser scored again, tying the game with just one minute and 16 seconds left in regular time.
A first overtime period didn’t solve anything for the tiring teams, but just after the seven-minute mark in the second overtime Shawn McBride managed to squeeze one by Alberni netminder Connor LaCouvee to win the game and spark an instant dog pile of celebrating Grizzlies players.
For his efforts Schmeisser earned first star of the game, with Shawn McBride taking the second star and Mitch Meek rounding out the accolades.
With the Bulldogs behind them, the Grizzlies now get ready to face the Powell River Kings starting at home at The Q! Centre on Friday, with Game 2 Saturday night.
